Kim Jong-un of North Korea issues a warning of a potential ‘nuclear attack’ in response to provocation involving nuclear weapons.

Seoul, December 21: According to state media on Thursday, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un cautioned that Pyongyang would not hesitate to carry out a nuclear attack if provoked with nuclear weapons, as Seoul and its allies called for “unconditional dialogue.”

Kim’s warning came after a meeting between South Korea and the United States in Washington last week, where discussions focused on nuclear deterrence in the event of conflict with North Korea.

The meeting’s agenda encompassed “nuclear and strategic planning,” and the allies reiterated that any nuclear assault by Pyongyang against the United States or South Korea would lead to the downfall of the North Korean regime.

Despite this, Kim instructed the missile bureau of his military to “not delay in launching a nuclear attack when provoked by the enemy with nuclear weapons,” as per Pyongyang’s official Korean Central News Agency on Thursday.

Subsequently, Washington, Seoul, and Tokyo issued a joint statement urging the nuclear-armed nation to “refrain from further provocations and embrace our proposal for meaningful dialogue without preconditions.”

In response to a series of record-breaking weapons tests by Pyongyang this year, the three countries have increased defense cooperation and, on Tuesday, activated a system to share real-time data on North Korean missile launches.

Earlier in the week, North Korea launched its most potent intercontinental ballistic missile, the Hwasong-18, characterizing it as “a precautionary measure” against what it described as ongoing acts of “military intimidation” by Washington and its allies.